1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handling device for electronic components, and especially to a contact module used when measuring electrical characteristics of the electronic components.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, performance, such as electrical characteristics, of manufactured electronic components (for example, IC devices), is checked when, for example, shipping. At this time, electronic components as measurement targets are sequentially taken out of respective positions in a manufactured product, using a handler, and are placed on a measurement socket in a measurement unit, where a predetermined electrical characteristic of the electronic components is measured. In this measurement, it is necessary to reliably bring the external terminal pins of each electronic component into contact with the measuring contact pins of the measurement socket. To this end, a pressing mechanism for pressing each electronic component against the measurement socket is used.
In accordance with recent multi-functionalization, the number of pins included in an external terminal is increased, and there is a tendency to increase the pressure applied to secure, during measurement, contact between the contact pins of the measurement socket and the terminal pins of each electronic component. In order to prevent deformation and/or damage of the terminal pins of the electronic components during the measurement due to the high pressure, a compression spring is contained in each contact pin of the measurement socket. In this structure, to simultaneously measure a large number of electronic components, a high pressure is required to compress the compression springs by a predetermined amount. At the same time, in order to press all electronic components by an appropriate pressure to thereby prevent damage of the precision electronic components, it is also necessary to precisely adjust the applied pressure. In the prior art, a vertical-shaft drive mechanism is used to simultaneously apply a vertically downward pressure to a plurality of electronic components placed on a plurality of measurement sockets horizontally arranged. Such a vertical-shaft drive mechanism more and more increases in weight and size in accordance with increases in the pressure needed for measurement. Accordingly, a control mechanism employed in the vertical-shaft drive mechanism to precisely apply a required, vertically downward, high pressure has become complex.